Roy Jefferis's Biography

Roy Jefferis,
Professor Emeritus,
University Of Birmingham

After attaining BSc and PhD in Chemistry I moved to the Medical School (Birmingham) and began research into the structure and function of antibody molecules, in health and disease. Our studies revealed the profound influence that glycosylation of the IgG class of antibody can have on the activation of effector mechanisms, in vitro and in vivo. Extension to the engineering and design of recombinant antibody therapeutics resulted in consultancies with the biopharmaceutical industry. A current focus is the potential for immunogenicity when there is a allotype mismatch between an IgG therapeutic and a patient’s IgG haplotype. In consideration of published research I have been elected Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) and Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath).

Biosimilars, Bio-betters, Comparability and Adverse Reactions

The glycoform profile of antibodies determines biologic efficacy and is a Critical Quality Attribute (CQA). Ideally, antibody therapeutics should express a pre-selected and homogeneous glycoform profile. Progress towards realising this goal will be presented.